Picture Perfect
by greasybat12
Summary: 10 years have passed since the war, and there is a new resident in the dungeon to keep Severus Snapes portrait company. short love story, M just in case, fluff
1. 1

_A.N So my groggy brain thought of this story while I was traveling back from Cornwall and I had to write it down anand post it. Good news it is finished, depending on how everyone likes this short, I might do an epilogue.__Oh and dont worry, What if and Moments are not abandoned._

**_HARRY POTTER IS NOT MINE!_**

_Please review, much love x_

It had been 10 years after that fateful night Severus Snape perished under the venom of Voldemorts snake, Nagini.

10 years had been a great deal of time to pass, yet for a painting, a decade was nothing.

For 10 years Severus Snape saw his past students grow before his eyes, as he sat staring at them as they all caught up in age.

For some reason, when his portrait was being created, the creator, whoever it was, decided he would forever stay as his 38 year old self.

Forever set in a canvassy state of loneliness.

Although that wasn't the case. The other paintings had tried to befriend the former potions master, yet Snape refused most offers.

He preferred his own space. Which was why his portrait did not reside in the headmasters office, but his own living quarters, in the dungeons.

However there a was a newer residence in the dungeons, although they were not exactly new.

It had been 5 years since his favourite know it all had taken a mastery in potions and was now the most recent portions master at Hogwarts.

At first neither were happy with the extra company. Granger would try to start conversations, but Snape would just walk away from his painting and pretend that he didnt secretly enjoy the company.

However as years went past, Severus could see a change in Hermione, their living to portrait relationship grew closer and closer. Heck, even Severus would now consider Hermione a close a friend.

However that was not nessasarilly the truth. He did like Hermione, very much, but not as a friend. Although he would not admit it himself but he found himself absolutely head over heels in love with her. Her company was something he looked forward to everyday, she could rip into his painting and touch his heart and it would beat again.

He loved seeing her brown eyes light up everytime they would engage in an intellectual conversation in potions. Or when her cheeks would paint themselves red when she would get flustered over a debate. But his favourite thing to see would be when her little pink tounge would dart out with concentration, when they were playing chess. Even though he was a portrait, he could still command the wizard chess peices to move for him. Although he disliked wizard chess very much, they both knew it was a sacrife they were both willing to take to be able to play against one another, but after a while it didn't matter and they both played nightly.

10 years ago, Severus would not belive that he could be content as a painting. However there was a difference between being content and being happy. Severus Snape was not happy, how could he be? He was dead and stuck in a canvass, hopelessly in love with the 28 year old Hermione Granger. There was nothing he could do but sit, watch, debate and play chess with her until she moved on.

Oh how he wished he hadnt died that day. Oh how he wished he could wrap that witch up in his arms and never let go.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, he cared about her, alot.

What Severus saw through his canvass everyday, was a highly intelligent young woman, who was considerably lonely. He knew through years of conversations that she had few friends. Yet being highly commended for being such a scholarly person she gave any chance of a social life away.

She was truly lonely.

It broke his heart at night, over the years, when he could hear her sobbing over the ones she lost. Oh how he wanted to reach out of his painting and wipe away her tears and fill her life with love.

Even after all these years she still cried herself to sleep.

However Severus had noticed that she was crying more. She would walk into her quarters and cry, sit by the fire and cry, and look at his portrait and cry.

That was the day Severus knew she felt the same.


	2. 2

_AN here is chapter 2_.

The fire had been burning for hours now, and had created a warm glow in the dungeons. Hermione had been staring into it the whole time, and it was making Severus anxious. "Miss Granger." He purred at the girl, his voice sending tingles down her spine. "If you carry on staring at the fire you will burn your retina's... Or you can indulge me in a game of chess and tell me what's wrong?"

Hermione looked at him with puffy eyes, the tears in them made them sparkle. She quickly looked down as if she were embarrassed of something.

"I can't do this anymore Severus..." Hermione grumbled.

His portrait scoffed at her, "Oh it's only a game Hermione, I might even let you win this time."

For some reason Severus' comment lit an angry fires in her tear glittered eyes.

"I'm not talking about chess! I'm talking about... About you. I need... I don't know what I need but either your painting needs to be moved or I need to leave here."

Hermione's outburst felt like a dagger to Severus's canvassy heart. Why had she said such cruel things? He knew he wasn't the easiest portrait to get along with but it always seemed like over the years Hermione and Severus had gotten on well.

Severus's painted eyes searched hers. She looked hurt, hurt, confused and a tiny bit embarrassed.

"Why?" He choked out.

Hermione slumped back in her chair and released a huff of breath.

"Because Severus... Because I'm foolish. Because I want something I can't have..."

"Why can't you?"

She went silent.

It took a good five minutes before she carried on talking.

"Because it's impossible." Her words came out as a whisper, however he still heard her. Yet in some way he felt that he understood what she had said.

"Hermione, look at me."

She did.

The tears had streaked down her face, and her eyes where filled with sadness.

"Hermione please..."

"No Sev..."

"Tell me Hermione."

"Severus... I'm, I'm in love with you! And there is nothing I can do because you are dead. Severus it's impossible because I'm in love with a dead man!"

Severus stared at the living woman's confession, choked by her words.

He bowed his head low and spoke carefully. "Hermione... I think you forget who you are talking to. I WAS in love with a dead woman for 20 years."

Her head turned around daring to not look at his painting.

"But for some reason 5 years ago this ex student know it all, infiltrated my pointless life as a painting and filled my life with something I never even considered that I needed... I haven't thought of Lily for the last 3 years. It has only been about you. YOU Hermione."

Severus had not realised until that point, that he himself was indeed crying. Usually he would refuse to openly show such emotion like this. However this was different, this was Hermione. He would never hide anything from her.

"Come here, please?"

Hermione rose from her chair and stood facing Severus's painting.

She stood so close that Severus thought he could feel her breath on his paint. She bought her hand up to touch the canvass where his cheek was. Severus keened to her touch like a lost puppy looking for love, wishing that he could feel her soft gentle fingers on his cheek.

"You don't think I'm stupid?" Her voice was coated with vulnerability as she tried her damdest not to burst into tears.

"That would be a ridiculous thing to think of, especially to you."

Hermione's tears trickled onto his Canvass, as she rested her forehead where his would be.

"I hate this." She muttered.

"So do I." Severus replied.


	3. 3

_A.N 3rd and final piece to this short story, I hope you enjoy this, oh by the way I thought I would mention that this little story was also inspired when I was scrolling through Snamione fan art, unfortunatly I don't remember the creator or I would of said.__btw there may or may not be an epilogue but for now this is the end please enjoy and review._

_I DONT OWN HARRY POTTER_

The months that followed made Severus feel numb, well as numb as a painting could feel. Ever since Hermione's confession things between them had become strained. Their conversations were now short lived and never seemed to go anywhere.

Severus was afraid that things would never be the same. Although Hermione still indulged Severus in their nightly game of chess. Which then lead to their new nightly ritual.

Neither of them would say anything, but sometimes the old muggle saying, actions speak louder than words, we're indeed right.

She would rest her forehead against his and just absorb his love that he radiated.

Every night Severus would treasure the intimate moment of connection that they shared.

But also wished every night it would come true... Little did he know.

It was in the very early hours of the morning that something roused Severus from his slumber.

It was not anything from the dungeon itself, but what Severus noticed was that it was a vibrating sensation in his frame that woke him. The very wood of the frame vibrated violently as a golden writing began to appear etched onto the material.

Time for a second chance.

Just as he read the last word as it came up, the very foundations of the picture frame began to crumble around him.

Severus could feel a pulling in his stomach, bringing him to the edge of the painting.

Light blinded him as he felt himself tear through the very fabric of his painting, his body was being rebirthed through the painting, and spat him out on the floor.

Hours had passed, Severus was mightily confused and fell into a confused sleep. Only to be woken up a couple of hours later by a scream that curdled his, now new, blood.

"S, Severus?"

He gently opened his eyes to see the magnificent beauty of Hermione Granger.

"Painting? Where? I don't under..."

"Ssh... Hermione, it seems that I have been given a second chance."

"This can't be real, you can't be..."

But she was stopped by Severus touching his lips to hers, bringing Hermione to a gentle kiss.

"Oh How I had longed to do that." He confessed, his words choked, his hand gently holding her chin.

"Your here?" She breathed.

"So it would seem miss Granger."

Hermione took a second to breath in the moment and soak up his very real presence.

Her arms snaked around this body, and breathed in his scent, littering kisseson his neck leading up to his jaw. Metering the same thing after each kiss, "Your here, your real."

As much as Severus was in pure bliss, from the gentle kisses that were planted on him, he had to take a step back.

They both stood staring at each other, saying nothing yet it meaning so much.

"There is something I must confess to you Hermione, something for the past 3 years I had been terrified to admit to you. I never said this to you, because I was scared, because I knew it meant nothing if I couldn't be with you in every sence of the form."

Severus cleared his throat, "Hermione Granger...I, I'm, I'm in love with you, undeniably, irrevocably, in love with you. It broke my heart seeing you hurt from a distance being unable to comfort you. My heart is yours... if you want It?"

A smile spread on Hermione's face, quicker than a common cold.

"Of course I want your heart, as much as you have mine" the tears rolled down her face in happy elation.

"Severus I love You!"

"Kiss me."

She did.

After their equal confession of love to each other, they both quickly moved to Hermione's bed chambers.

All of their limbs were intertwined and both souls connected.

The spark of energy that ricocheted off each body as bare skin touched bare skin was indeed undeniably real. Each touch, each caress, lit a fire in each of their souls, confirming their love.

As the throws of passion took over, Severus clung on to Hermione, knowing that he would not love any other being, only her, unless they had children of course.

As the pleasure was coming to a peak, Severus stared deeply into Hermione's eyes, "I love you so much." He spoke with ragged breaths as they both came crashing down from oblivion, clinging on to one anothers souls as they became one.

When the glow of their passion was fading, Severus rolled on to his side and gently caressed the side of Hermione's cheek, she purred with content at his ministrations.

"Hermione, I have never been this happy... in ANY of my lives."

He moved his lips to her ear, "You are my Second chance, and I am never going to let you go."

The end.


End file.
